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| (Photo Credit: HBO) |
Game of Thrones
Season 8, Episode 5
By Garrett Yoshitomi
Well, one thing’s for sure, you definitely didn’t have a hard time seeing what was going on in that battle. Just two weeks removed from the infamous Battle of Winterfell, which was literally so dark that within days of episode three’s debut, fans took to YouTube to upload their own “visible to the human eye” versions, Game of Thrones follows up with another massive, epically destructive clash, this time between the armies of Daenerys Targaryen and Cersei Lannister. Unfortunately, not even a visually stunning siege can save Thrones’ sagging critical reception, as the penultimate episode of the series, ‘The Bells,’ clocks in as the series’ lowest rated episode to date, according to Rotten Tomatoes. Just like the rest of season eight, ‘The Bells’ certainly has its fair share of problems, but I actually rather enjoyed this episode, and thought it was a nice bounce back after the disappointing ‘The Last of the Starks.’
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| (Photo Credit: HBO) |
For a battle-focused episode like, ‘The Bells,’ all analysis starts and ends with the action, and the fight for King’s Landing delivers both in spectacle and storytelling. Say what you will about the overall quality of the episode, but the entire battle looks, quite simply, amazing, and there are several action sequences that rank right up there with the very best Game of Thrones has to offer. From Drogon’s initial dive bomb on the Iron Fleet, to the Unsullied and Dothraki storming the streets of King’s Landing, this episode provides the kind of moments that fans have been waiting years for (decades, even, if you’re a book reader). Ever since Daenerys set her sights on the Iron Throne back in season one, the idea of what her eventual conquest would look like has lingered prominently in fans’ minds throughout her six-season journey to Westeros. Although many will disagree with this episode’s ultimate conclusion, it’s hard to deny that ‘The Bells’ is filled to the brim with exciting visuals, well-directed action, and fight scenes that, in general, are much more novel and coherent than the un-seeable mess that was the Battle of Winterfell.
Most viewers will point to Cleganebowl (get hype) as the high point of this episode’s action. The much-anticipated showdown between brothers, Sandor and Gregor Clegane, saw its popularity amongst fans soar to almost mythical heights during the course of the show, and this epic clash between two of the series’ strongest fighters proves well worth the wait. Despite occupying more of a supporting role throughout the series, the Hound’s unrelenting thirst for vengeance has become so ingrained within his character that we, as viewers, can genuinely feel Sandor’s sense of accomplishment, when he finally finds himself face-to-face with his brother.
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If it wasn’t for the truly brutal display of violence to follow, this long-awaited meeting has almost a picturesque feeling about it, as the two combatants stare each other down amidst the flaming, crumbling tower of the Red Keep. The pure hatred emanating from Sandor, (played by Rory McCann), gives this fight a welcome dose of human gravitas that’s rare for a typical Game of Thrones’ skirmish. And, the choreography does a good job of capturing the Mountain’s overwhelming physical advantage, while still allowing the Hound to put up a believable fight. However, when the tide starts to turn against the Hound, it turns quickly, and the desperation in his flailing attempts to regain the upper hand, is all too palpable. Finally, the scene reaches its climax with a beautiful long shot that pans down the length of the Red Keep, following the two brothers as they tumble to their mutual deaths.
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But, as incredible as it is to experience Cleganebowl on the silver screen, I’d argue that the long, slow-motion shot of Grey Worm mowing down a crowd of Lannister soldiers is actually the best action sequence of the episode. It’s the type of badass hero shot that’s typically reserved for the likes of Jon Snow, but Grey Worm proves that he’s just as capable of carrying a fight scene, as he quickly and methodically uses his trademark spear to stab and slice his way through enemies like hot butter. Of course, this never would have happened had the Lannister army not momentarily laid down their arms – an outcome not often seen in Thrones warfare. And, although this ceasefire is short-lived, seeing the Lannister soldiers toss aside their swords after an intense stand-off with Dany’s army, is a neat little subversion of expectations that comes at just the right point in the episode’s overall flow. It’s also incredibly satisfying to see the great house Lannister finally falter after spending so much of the series as the pervasive antagonist, who always seemed to stay one step ahead of the Starks, and I’m not sure if this downfall would have carried the same weight had their army been instantly disintegrated by dragon fire, rather than the gradual, slow burn defeat that we end up seeing, starting with their surrender.
At the heart of the Lannister downfall, though, are the final chapters in the stories of Jaime and Cersei Lannister. Many fans were likely disappointed when they learned that Jaime was returning to King’s Landing to save Cersei, rather than to kill her. And after the character growth that Jaime experienced with Brienne during his time at Winterfell, it’s easy to feel cheated out of the full-fledged Jaime redemption arc that the show was seemingly leading up to for several seasons. But, just like death, taxes, and if you’re into that sort of thing, Thanos, Jaime and Cersei’s relationship is inevitable within Game of Thrones; and although it’s not the outcome that many predicted, the final scene between Cersei and Jaime, with the world falling all around them and The Rains of Castamere building to a crescendo in the background, is one of the most touching moments of the entire series, and a solid send-off for two of the show’s core characters.
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| (Photo Credit: HBO) |
Of course, this isn’t the only Lannister farewell in this episode, as brothers, Jaime and Tyrion, both share their final scene together on the eve of the battle of King’s Landing. It’s made clear throughout the series that Jaime is the only family member who’s ever actually cared for Tyrion, but the significance of this love has never been truly established up until now. Before freeing Jaime from captivity, Tyrion indirectly admits that he probably would have taken his own life as a child were it not for Jaime. The idea that Jaime’s kindness alone prevented Tyrion from committing suicide is perhaps a bit too simplistic, which even Jaime himself acknowledges. But, it’s still a moving scene between two of the show’s most beloved characters and strongest actors. Relationships in Game of Thrones that have held strong throughout the entire series are rare. And, as one of the few pairs of brothers left in the show, I don’t mind if they get an unrealistically uplifting end to their storyline, especially when so much of the show’s endgame feels fraught at this point.
Unlike the Lannister’s, not every major character gets a satisfying narrative, and the writers’ decision to have Daenerys go full “Mad Queen” could be the biggest black mark of not only this episode, but of the entire series. Personally, I’m not that bothered by what some see as an abrupt shift in character development. The show has been gradually guiding Daenerys down this path since season one, and if you don’t believe me, go back and watch some of those earlier episodes, and tell me that the same woman who vowed to “lay waste to armies and burn cities to the ground” (Season 2, Episode 4), and executed hundreds of slavers on practically day one of arriving in Meereen (Season 4, Episode 4) isn’t also capable of conquering an enemy city with the same exact ruthlessness that she used to consolidate all over her power to begin with.
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| (Photo Credit: HBO) |
“But, Garrett,” you must be thinking, “this isn’t just some third string bad guy, like Euron Greyjoy, crashing the party at the last minute. This is Khaleesi for crying out loud! Daenerys Targaryen, the First of Her Name, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms, and the Mother of freaking Dragons! She’s one of the good guys! How in the world can this possibly make sense?” To which I would reply, you’re absolutely right. For as many clues as the show subtly sprinkled throughout earlier seasons, hinting at this eventual outcome, Daenerys has always been one of the good guys. Always. From any literary analysis perspective, Dany is a protagonist. Now, do all protagonists stay protagonists? Of course not. But this kind of transition takes time, and with condensed episode orders for both seasons seven and eight, it feels like the show didn’t have enough runway to organically build up to this conclusion in a satisfying way. As interesting as subverting expectations can be (and I’d argue that Thrones hasn’t done enough of that lately), watching Dany, a character so universally popular that adults literally name their human children after her, start burning innocent men, women, and children alive just feels…wrong, like, morally wrong. And for a show featuring as many morally questionable things as Game of Thrones, that’s certainly saying something.
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